By Melissa Antoinette Garza
I had wanted to see the new Star Wars since it was announced, but life got in the way. Finally, Stephen and I went to go see it. Mixed reviews from both family and friends alike, made me more curious. People within my circle who tend to agree on their movie choices, were on complete different sides.
I do not know nearly as much about the Star Wars universe nor do I love the series as much as others I know. That said, with the exception of Phantom Menace, I really liked all of them. I am a huge fan Hayden Christensen and his performance of Darth Vader resonated with me. Most reviews trash Christensen’s performance, but I thought his portrayal revealed the downward spiral into the darkness very well and provided the insight into a villain that as a child I always rooted for.
The original films are classics and as a child I was swept up in the love story between Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). The nostalgia certainly kicked in when I heard that not only Ford and Fisher were returning but Mark Hamill as Luke was back on the scene as well.
The start of the movie introduces our new heroes. Poe (Oscar Isaac) is part of the resistance. He shares aspects of both Han and Luke, and thankfully it works. He obtains a portion of a map that when put together with the other missing part shows the whereabouts of Luke.
Poe hides the map in a small orange droid called BB-8 before being taken into custody and is guarded by the Stormtroopers. Finn (John Boyega) is a Stormtrooper who is having second doubts about the Republic. After seeing them blindly follow Kylo Ren’s (Adam Driver) orders and kill civilians, he decides he can’t do it anymore and decides to team up with Poe.
Finn is my favorite character. He reminds me of my hero Daniel Ellsberg. Finn grew up believing in the Republic. He was programmed to do so from birth. When he saw firsthand the atrocities that they caused, he gave up all aspirations to rise within the Republic and to serve under the regime so that he could do what was right. At times, he opted to hide but when necessary he fought. Anyone who knows Ellsberg’s backstory will see the parallels.
He comes across a young scavenger Ray (Daisy Ridley) who planned to remain on her home planet for her family to return. She comes across the BB-8 droid who has been taken for parts. She rescues him and then upon meeting Finn reluctantly teams up. She believes that Finn is part of the Resistance rather than an ex-Stormtrooper in hiding. A friendship and even a hint of romance is seen between the two. I’m hoping that Poe doesn’t get mixed in a love triangle. I’d much rather see Ray and Finn form an even deeper bond.
Soon, they come across Han Solo and Chewbacca. That in itself was a great moment. Seeing the duo together again was fantastic and only shortly after do the viewers see Leia.
We also learn a bit about Kylo Ren’s background though I hope they delve more into his fall into his backstory.
This was definitely a fun ride. I’d suggest seeing this in theaters if given the opportunity. It was a much needed distraction and I enjoyed it more than I thought. This definitely feels like the timeless movies that IV, V, and VI captured.
The conclusion is brilliantly done and makes the viewers want more, specifically surrounding Kylo’s decent into the dark side of the Force.
Scared Stiff Rating: 9/10
